Boat dock



Nov. 30, 1965 w. SCHOLLARD 3,220,195

BOAT DOCK Filed Feb. 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Harry W Soho/lard flTTORNEYS H. W. SCHOLLARD Nov. 30, 1965 BOAT DOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1963 INVENTOR. Harry M. fic/ro/lara BY pwmzmwm United States Patent 3,220,196 BOAT DOCK Harry W. Schollard, 416 N. State St, St. Ignace, Mich. Filed Feb. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 258,076 9 Claims. (Cl. 6l65) This invention relates to boat docks particularly adapted for use with small boats and which greatly facilitate entry to and egress from such boats.

Entering and leaving a small boat is fairly hazardous and requires the exercise of considerable care to avoid tipping of the boat and risking the pitching overboard of persons or equipment. Leaving a small boat at a dock presents an additional problem in that it sometimes happens that the movement of a person from the boat to the dock causes the boat to' be moved away from the dock, where it may drift unattended and be damaged unless steps are taken to retrieve it.

An object of this invention is to provide a boat dock which provides firm support for the boat, thereby facilitating a persons entering or leaving the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat dock having self-contained means for facilitating movement of a person between a dock and a boat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat docking device which is manually manipulatable from the boat so as to provide and remove support for the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat dock of the kind referred to which facilitates launching of the boat upon removal of the support therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat dock which is capable of use with boats of different draft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boat dock capable of use in waters of different depth.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a boat dock constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the dock and illustrating in chain lines a boat supported thereby;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the dock and fragmentarily illustrating the rear end of a boat; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of a modification of the apparatus.

A dock constructed in accordance with the disclosed embodiment of the invention comprises a pair of supporting end frame members 1 and 2, each of which is substantially U-shaped in end elevation. The frame member 1 comprises a pair of parallel, spaced apart, tubular upright members 3 that are welded or otherwise suitably joined at corresponding ends to a transverse frame member 4. Suitable braces 5 may be welded or otherwise secured to the member 4 and to the respective members 3. Telescopingly received in each of the tubular members 3 is an extension 6 having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 7, any one of which is adapted to receive a pin 8 that removably extends through the associated member 3 so as to support the members 6 in any selected position of adjustment.

The end frame 2 is similar in all respects to the frame 1 and corresponding parts are identified by corresponding reference characters, followed by the suffix a.

The outer end of each of the members 6, 6a is pivoted as at 9 to a boat engaging rail 10 that preferably is formed of wood, the rails being supported by and spanning the two end frames 1 and 2. The rails are ice spaced apart from one another a distance sufficient to provide stablesupport for a boat 11. As is best shown in FIGURE 1, the end frames 1 and 2 are aligned with one another, so that the space between the uprights of each end frame is unoccupied, as is shown in FIGURE 3, thereby permitting the boat 11 to enter between the rails 10 from either direction without risking bottoming of the boat or of an outboard motor on any part of the supportingframework.

The transverse frame members 4, 4a are substantially longer than the spacing between the rails 10 so as to project beyond both of the latter. Corresponding ends of the member 4, 4a rotatably extend through collars 12, 12a which are welded or otherwise rigidly fixed at opposite ends of a longitudinally extending base frame bar 13. Cotter pins 14 or equivalent means may be used to prevent inadvertent separation of the sleeves from the respective members 4, 4a. The opposite ends of the transverse frame members also extend rotatably through wise suitably secured to and spans the sleeves 15, 15a,

and cotter pins or the like14 extend through the members 4, 4a at their outer ends to prevent the respective sleeves from slipping off the frame members. The members 13 and 16, together with their respective collars and sleeves, constitute a submergible base frame that rockably mounts the members 1 and 2, and the rails 10, for raising and lowering movements.

The sleeves 12, 12a and 15, 15a not only journal the members 4, 4a for rotation, but also restrain the latter against canting movement relative to one another, thereby maintaining the frame members 1 and 2 square. The use of the sleeves eliminates the need for cross bracing of the X type, for example, thereby providing for ready disassembly of the apparatus into its individual components for shipment or storage.

Rigidly secured to the sleeve 15 is an upstanding tubular member 17 in which is telescopingly mounted a rod 18. A similar member 17a is fixed to the sleeve 15a and telescopingly receives a rod 18a. Each of the rods 1%, 18a is provided with vertically spaced openings 19 for removable reception of a locking pin 20 for latching the rods 18, 18a in any selected position of vertical adjustment. The upper end of each rod 18, 18a is fixed to a bracket 21 which may be bolted or otherwise fixed to a board 22 that parallels the boat rails 10 and forms a catwalk on which a person may stand. The catwalk may be suitably braced by bars 23, 23a that are welded to the respective sleeves 15, 15a and to the uprights 17, 17a.

The construction and arrangement of the parts thus far described are such that the catwalk board 22 may be fixed in a horizontal position somewhat above water level, whereas the rails 10 may be swung from a raised position, indicated in full lines in FIGURE 2, to a lowered position, as is indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 2. The rails are capable of being swung to a lower position than is indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 2. The extent of lowering movement of the rails is determined by stop blocks 24 which are fixed to the respective bars 13 and 16 so as to lie in the path of lowering movement of the rails 10. The blocks 24 may be supported in upright position, as is indicated in FIGURES I2 and 3, or, alternatively, may be swung downwardly so as to permit the rails 10 to move to an even lower position.

Operating means is provided for raising and lowering the boat rails 10 and, in the embodiment shown in FIG- URES 1-3, comprises an elongated operating lever 27 which is fixed at one end to a collar 28 that is keyed or otherwise fixed to the transverse frame member 4. The lever 27 is of such length that it is capable of projecting above the catwalk 22, regardless of the position to which the latter is adjusted. Thus, it easily may be reached by a person in the boat 11.

The construction and arrangement of the parts are such that rocking of the lever 27 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, will cause corresponding rocking of the frame member 4 which will be transmitted to the frame member 4a via the uprights 3, the boat rails and the uprights 3a, thereby effecting lowering of the rails 10. The rails may be elevated by rocking the lever clockwise.

In the modified embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, the operating means comprises a hydraulic ram 27a having a cylinder 27b fixed to the member 16 and within which is a reciprocable piston having a piston rod 270 pivoted to one end of a link 27d. The opposite end of the link 27d is pivoted to the adjacent upright 3. Actuation of the piston and piston rod may be effected by any one of several ways. For example, one end of a water hose 27c may be joined to the free end of the cylinder for introducing water under pressure to the interior of the cylinder, the other end of the hose being connected to pump or to a supply of water under pressure. A three Way valve 27 may be interposed in the hose to control the flow of water to and from the cylinder, whereby the rails 10 may be raised or lowered.

Means is provided for latching the boat rails 10 in any selected position of vertical adjustment. The latching means is designated generally by the reference character 29 and comprises a latch bar 30 that is pivoted as at 31 to a post 32 which is welded or otherwise suitably fixed to the frame member 16. The other end of the bar 30 extends through an opening formed in a latch plate or keeper 33 that is fixed to an upright member 3. The bar 30 is provided with a plurality of teeth 34 on its lower surface. The teeth are adapted to cooperate with a transverse post 35 that is supported by the latch plate 33 beneath the bar 30 and releasably latch the end frames 1 and 2 against rocking movement. To the free end of the latch bar 30 is secured one end of a flexible line 36, the other end of which may be free or fastened to any part of the apparatus.

The latch mechanism may be released by exerting an upward pull on the line 35, thereby disengaging the teeth 34 and the post 35. Upon releasing the line 36, gravity will restore the bar to its latching position.

The apparatus may be conditioned for use by assembling the various components in the manner disclosed in the drawings and lowering the assembled apparatus adjacent a pier or the like so as to permit the supporting frame members 4, 4a, 13 and 16 to rest upon the bottom of a body of water with the rails 10 parallel to the pier. The telescoping members supporting the rails 10 may be adjusted so that, in their raised position, the rails will be at a suitable distance above the water level to lift a boat clear of the water.

Means is provided to permit the rails to be supported in a substantially horizontal position, and comprises a vertical sleeve 37 fixed to each of the members 12, 12a and 15, a for sliding reception of a vertical post 38 terminating at its lower end in a bottom engaging boot 39. Each sleeve 37 is apertured to receive a lock pin 40 that is adapted to pass through any one of a number of vertically spaced openings formed in the associated post 38 to lock the latter in a selected position of vertical adjustment so as to enable the rails 10 to be horizontal.

Piers usually extend several feet above the water level, thereby making it difficult for a person to enter a boat from the pier or move from the boat to the pier. To facilitate traffic between the boat and the pier, the extensible supports for the catwalk 22 may be adjusted to position the latter in a substantially horizontal plane intermediate the water level and the upper surface of the pier,

a thereby providing a convenient step which persons may use when moving to or from the boat.

Small boats conventionally have relatively flat bottoms and upwardly diverging sides, and the spacing between the boat engaging rails 10 should be such that the rails will engage the bottom of a boat upon upward movement of the rails relative to the boat. Preferably, the spacing between the rails 10 will be so fixed with respect to the beam of the boat that, when the rails are in their uppermost positions, they will engage the bottom of the boat adjacent the sides thereof, as is illustrated in FIGURE 3, and stabilize the boat against tipping. If desired, the rails can be adjusted to such a position that the boat may be lifted either partially or completely out of the water.

When the boat is in its supported position and it is desired to launch the boat, the latch bar 30 may be disengaged from the latch post 35, in the manner previously described, and the operating mechanism actuated to lower the rails 10. Lowering movement of the rails 10 will cause the boat to swing in an are having both a downward and a horizontal component, thereby imparting to the boat sufiicient movement to enable the latter to clear the dock without the application of additional force.

Where the depth of the water is several feet, the blocks 24 may be maintained in their upright positions, as is indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3, thereby avoiding lowering movement of the rails 10 to an unnecessarily low position. For use in shallower water, however, the blocks 24 may be pivoted to a substantially horizontal position, thereby permitting the rails 10 to be swung to an even lower position.

Should a boat be equipped with a motor, no interference between the motor and the dock need be encountered, either upon launching or docking of the boat, inasmuch as the space between the rails 10 is clear to a level substantially at the level of the lake or river bottom.

The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred form of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A boat dock comprising frame means adapted to rest on the bottom of a body of water; four upright members arranged in substantially rectangular form; means rockably mounting each of said upright members adjacent its lower end on said frame means; a first rail connected to and joining two of said upright members at the upper ends of the latter; a second rail parallel to said first rail and connected to and joining the other two of said upright members at the upper ends of the latter, said rails being spaced apart a distance sufiicient to engage and support thereon a boat; operating means interconnecting said frame means and at least one of said upright members for rocking said upright members and said rails simultaneously between raised and lowered positions; and releasable means interconnecting said frame means and one of said uprights for releasably holding said uprights and said rails against rocking movement, the space between said rails and said upright members being substantially unobstructed from the level of said rails to said frame means to provide clearance for a propeller or the like mounted on and extending below the bottom of said boat.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said releasable means comprises a first latch member on said frame means and a cooperable latch keeper on said one of said uprights.

3. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said operating means comprises hydraulic ram means; and means for actuating said ram means.

4. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said upright members is individually adjustable in length, and including means for maintaining each of said uprights in a selected position of adjustment.

5. The construction set forth in claim 1 including adjustable means on said frame means for supporting the latter in a horizontal position on the bottom of a body of water.

6. The construction set forth in claim 1 including means forming a catwalk; and means supporting said catwalk on said frame means adjacent said one of said rails.

7. The construction set forth in claim 6 wherein said supporting means is adjustable in length, and including means for releasably maintaining said supporting means in a selected position of adjustment.

8. A boat dock comprising a pair of generally U-shaped members each of which comprises a pair of spaced apart uprights joined at corresponding ends; frame means adapted to rest on the bottom of a body of water; means at the joined ends of each of said U-shaped members mounting the latter for rocking movements between raised and lowered positions; a first rail supported on one upright of each of said members at the opposite end thereof; a second rail supported on the other upright of each of said members at the opposite end thereof, said first and second rails being substantially parallel and spaced from one another a distance to engage and support a boat; means connected at least to one of said members for rocking said members in unison between said positions; and releasable means interconnecting said frame means and one of said members for releasably holding said members against rocking movement, the space between said rails and the uprights of each of said members being substantially unobstructed from the level of said rails to said frame means to provide clearance for a propeller or the like mounted on and extending below the bottom of said boat.

9. A boat dock comprising a pair of generally U-shaped members each of which comprises a pair of spaced apart uprights joined at corresponding ends; frame means adapted to rest on the bottom of a body of water; means at the joined ends of each of said U-shaped members mounting the latter for rocking movements between raised and lowered positions; a first rail supported on one upright of each of said members at the opposite end thereof; a second rail supported on the other upright of each of said members at the opposite end thereof, said rails being substantially parallel and spaced from one another a distance to engage and support a boat; means connected at least to one of said members for rocking said members between said positions; upstanding supporting means secured to said frame means; means supported by said supporting means and forming a catwalk adjacent one of said rails; and releasable means interconnecting said frame means and one of said members for releasably holding said members against rocking movement, the space between said first and second rails and the uprights of each of said members being substantially unobstructed from the level of said rails to said frame means to provide clearance for a propeller or the like mounted on and extending below the bottom of said boat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 418,938 1/1890 Bogusch 182-184 1,443,376 1/1923 Morgan et al 182-2 1,697,364 1/ 1929 McCollum et al 214 1 X 2,505,832 5/ 1950 Lange 61-65 2,556,207 6/1951 Mueller 1812-141 2,585,664 2/1952 Le May et al 61-65 X 2,902,184 9/ 1959 Buckner 214-1 2,934,220 4/ 1960 Murphy 214-1 2,963,176 12/1960 Smith 61-65 X 3,021,965 2/ 1962 Harvey 61-65 X 3,083,540 4/1963 Smith 61-65 3,139,277 6/ 1964 Mears 61-66 X JACOB SHAPIRO, EARL I. WITMER, Examiners.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BOAT DOCK COMPRISING FRAME MEANS ADAPTED TO REST ON THE BOTTOM OF A BODY OF WATER; FOUR UPRIGHT MEMBERS ARRANGED IN SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR FORM; MEANS ROCKABLY MOUNTING EACH OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS ADJACENT ITS LOWER END ON SAID FRAME MEANS; A FIRST RAIL CONNECTED TO AND JOINING TWO OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS AT THE UPPER ENDS OF THE LATTER; A SECOND RAIL PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST RAIL AND CONNECTED TO AND JOINING THE OTHER TWO OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS AT THE UPPER ENDS OF THE LATTER, SAID RAILS BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT THEREON A BOAT; OPERATING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRAME MEANS AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS FOR ROCKING SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS AND SAID RAILS SIMULTANEOUSLY BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS; AND RELEASABLE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRAME MEANS AND ONE OF SAID UPRIGHTS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID UPRIGHTS AND SAID RAILS AGAINST ROCKING MOVEMENT, THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID RAILS AND SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY UNOBSTRUCTED FROM THE LEVEL OF SAID RAILS TO SAID FRAME MEANS TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE FOR A PROPELLER OR THE LIKE MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID BOAT. 